The turnaround was quick. While TikTok Lite made its debut in France just a few days ago, ByteDance has already decided to shelve the much-maligned Amazon voucher system that accompanied the application.
Pressure from the EU was enough to make ByteDance crack. In a message posted on X, the company which has just released its TikTok Lite application announced that it was suspending “voluntarily» its rewards system for users spending the most time on the app. The controversy lasted barely 15 days.
Outcry in Europe
As a reminder, at the beginning of April 2024, the company launched a new version of TikTok which rewarded Amazon vouchers to those who watched the most videos. Through a system of collectible “coins”, the social network wanted “iEncourage new users who haven’t yet tried TikTok to discover new content, get involved with the app and refer their friends“. A functionality quickly deemed problematic by Brussels.
A week after the application’s release, the European Commission was publicly concerned about the impact “on the mental health of users, particularly regarding the potential stimulation of addictive behaviors» that TikTok Lite could generate. A few days later, ByteDance was the subject of a formal EU investigation led by Thierry Breton who half-heartedly accused the application of being “toxic and addictive, especially in children“.
A critical moment for TikTok
Faced with the pressure exerted by representatives of the European Union and the risks of finding itself at odds with the DSA, ByteDance therefore “voluntarily” suspended its rewards system, at least temporarily for the duration of “respond to concerns expressed» by the 27. In order to give a little ointment to the authorities of the old continent, the company even added that it “calways seeks to collaborate constructively with the European Commission and other regulators.»
This blow to the nose comes at a critical moment for TikTok, which is on the verge of being pushed out of the United States for good and which is also in the sights of certain French associations. Last February, even before the release of TikTok Lite, ByteDance was already under investigation by the EU for breaches of transparency obligations imposed by the DSA, addictive design and lack of functionalities for the protection of minors. This investigation has not yet delivered its verdict, but there is no doubt that the TikTok Lite controversy will not help the company.
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TikTok is a social media app primarily focused on creating and sharing short videos. TikTok has quickly become popular with a wide audience, especially among young people. The app allows users to create videos up to 3 minutes long, often featuring music, lip-syncing, dancing, comedy skits, and other forms of expressive performances.
TikTok is a social media app primarily focused on creating and sharing short videos. TikTok has quickly become popular with a wide audience, especially among young people. The app allows users to create videos up to 3 minutes long, often featuring music, lip-syncing, dancing, comedy skits, and other forms of expressive performances.
Source : TikTok Policy Europe – X
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